Low ketone levels

(Anette Raita) #1

Hi,
I’ve been doing keto several times before in my life and it usually takes me 48 hours to get into ketosis where I have fairly high levels of ketones (measured with urine sticks)
The last year however I’ve done a few different things. I’ve dry-fasted several days in a row on a few occasions (got into ketosis after about 24 hours doing that) And I have a normal routine with 16/8 fasting. I’ve been eating carbs for long periods of time these last years. But now I went on full keto diet about 2 weeks ago. I’m in a calorie deficit and I lift weights 4 times a week. My body fat % are on the lower side for females. (18/19%)

The thing is that I barely get ketone reading on my sticks this time. I didn’t start to measure ketones until a few days after I switched, so I was expecting to get moderate levels. But it’s only trace on the stick. Even now after two weeks eating only 20-25g carbs a day.

Is it possible that I’m fat adapted already due to my normal 16/8 fasting routine and exercise etc.? What can be the cause for the low readings if I’m not?

I weigh and log my food carefully and have done that for several years, so I know I’m not eating more carbs than I should.

(Robin) #2

Welcome. If anything, your calorie intake should be increased. Sounds crazy, but true. I eat twice the calories I used to and have lost considerable weight.

(Joey) #3

@Anette_Raita Welcome to the forum!

As @robintemplin notes, restricting caloric intake is a bad idea … especially if you’re working out. Lots of solid discussion on why this is the case can be found throughout this forum.

Excellent. That indicates that you’re no longer pissing away ketones in your urine … they’re being used by your mitochondria in your tissues and brain. Way to go! (Now ditch the sticks, they no longer serve any useful purpose except to confuse matters.)

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

Try eating more, especially fat. If you are trying to add muscle, your protein intake should be 1.5-2.0 g/kg lean body mass/day, with plenty of the branched-chain amino acids, and you need to be eating enough fat to fuel both the lifting and the muscle growth. More dietary fat should result in more ketones. Although the best measurement is a blood test; going by excreted ketones can be frustrating.

Since you are well below the 21-23% body fat that is normal for women, your body is not going to want to be using it to make ketones. I suspect that you are also seeing disruptions of your monthly cycle, because of the lack of fat and lack of enough calories. The reproductive system is one of the first things our body stints on, when a famine is in the offing.